Umamusume's days are numbered

The East Sea Emperor's unexpected loss of speed was not just a matter of losing to Platinum in a race.

This further deprived her of the ability to accelerate at high speeds.

Under these circumstances, the players who had previously fallen far behind caught up again and—overtook Donghai Diwang one after another.

What was a shocking scene for the audience was probably a scene of utter despair for the Emperor of the East Sea... who felt as if he were in hell.

It wasn't just the Platinum East Sea Emperor who heard the sound of even more horses' hooves.

Leo Durban.

New universe.

Ibuki Maki Kagura.

Have these players, whom he only respected but never considered opponents, now come to stand before him?

Am I going to lose to them?

"She's about to cross the finish line, and there's no enemy around her that can stop her."

However, everyone's attention wouldn't remain focused on the Emperor of the East Sea. A fierce battle raged on the track, but it was no longer relevant to the Emperor of the East Sea.

The champion is the focus of everyone's attention.

"Leodban, can Leodban stop Platinum from winning the championship? Or a new universe?"

"Gulp..." Leo Deban struggled to close his right eye.

There was only one person in front of him, but that guy... was as powerful as a monster.

"No, it's impossible. The gap can't be narrowed any further. After overcoming numerous obstacles and achieving a miraculous comeback, Platinum is undoubtedly the king of the arena right now!"

"platinum---"

Amidst the final shouts and the sweltering heat that dispersed even the rain and mist, Platinum crossed the finish line.

"—Crossing the finish line!"

If the Emperor of the East Sea could hear it, the commentary would be nothing short of a death knell for her, shattering her dream of an undefeated three-crown victory.

My legs are so tired, I don't want to run anymore. Even my spine is numb.

"Leodban is ranked second."

It's come to this point, and no audience will pay attention to me anymore.

But this is a competition, and it can't be stopped.

At least... we have to persevere to the end.

The Emperor of the East Sea was plunged into darkness and stumbled forward as he ran.

"The new universe will cross the finish line right behind it."

Have the top three already crossed the finish line...?

But those things seem to have nothing to do with the Emperor of the East Sea anymore.

She moved forward mechanically, like a puppet on a string, or like a prisoner preparing to face her final fate.

"Ranked fourth is Ibuki Maikaku."

Please... let this all end.

If this is a nightmare, please let me wake up soon.

Isn't this kind of torture a bit too cruel?

“Shacogre, five moves.”

at last.

The track, though only a little over a hundred meters long, seemed endless to the current Emperor of the East Sea.

The long ordeal finally came to an end, and the Emperor of the East Sea crossed the finish line.

"And...the Emperor of the East Sea, ranked sixth."

Trembling and panting, her heart pounding irregularly, her vision blurred.

Is this really me? Is this the result I achieved?

The Emperor of the East Sea raised the corners of his mouth, forcing a smile as if to bolster his courage, but...

"I can't laugh."

No matter how I think about it, I can't find a way to comfort myself.

While still on the field, regardless of winning or losing, one should present their best to the audience.

Laugh out loud, Emperor of the East Sea.

He went up to Platinum and generously congratulated him on winning the championship, promising to fight him again in the derby.

It's just that we lost a game. It just means we can't participate in this winners' stage.

However...

My vision is blurring.

That wasn't just a game!

No matter how I think about it, I can't comfort myself!

That was the Satsuki Prize, my first step in catching up with the chairman.

First, three crowns; then, an undefeated record; reaching the achievements the president once held; and then... surpassing the president.

Prove to everyone that the East Sea Emperor is the strongest racehorse girl.

Such a goal failed from the very beginning.

Whether it's a treble or an undefeated streak, it's all completely out of reach for him now.

We lost, and not by a hair's breadth, but a complete and utterly humiliating defeat.

The Emperor of the East Sea shifted his gaze to Platinum.

Bai Jin's clothes were a mixture of rainwater, sweat, and mud from falling to the ground. His pure white figure was marred by grime, especially the mud stains on his boots.

This platinum figure, radiating heat, looked up at the sky, seemingly lost in thought, with a thin layer of dried salt crystals even appearing on its exposed arms.

She stood at the end of the track, shining as if she were at the center of the world; that was the beautiful posture that Satsuki Uma Musume should have.

"The fateful battle is over. Congratulations to Platinum for your victory! The Satsuki Prize is yours. Soar to the heavens, Princess Platinum!"

Ahh. The cheers from the track and the stands had nothing to do with me. After all, Platinum won, so this is normal.

But...but even so...

No, I can't cry here.

The Emperor of the East Sea forced back the tears in his eyes, tilted his head back towards the sky, and let the tears swirl around in the corners of his eyes, trying to make the tears flow back the way they came.

Since we've already lost the game, we should at least maintain some semblance of dignity.

The fine raindrops drifting in the sky fell into the eyes of the Eastern Sea Emperor. She blinked unconsciously, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

The president's expectations... everyone's hopes... everyone's continued support...

I have let them all down.

"Ah...ah—"

The Eastern Sea Emperor's voice was hoarse, and she made low sounds from her throat. She coughed lightly as if to clear her throat, but the coughing gradually turned into uncontrollable sobs.

"Woo..."

Clearly, clearly, I didn't want to cry...

Losing a game doesn't mean your skills have diminished.

I simply misjudged my stamina while running alongside Platinum. With this experience, I won't make the same mistake again, and I'm sure I can win it back.

Even so, even so!

Tears flowed uncontrollably, like a burst dam.

Satsuki Shō lost, and that's it; he can never win it back!

The undefeated three-crown record is no longer possible, and I will never have the chance to get even one step closer to the president.

All meaning in my life collapsed at that moment.

"Waaaaaah!"

With his head held high in the rain, the Emperor of the East Sea cried out in a hoarse voice, unable to bear the pain any longer.

She cried as if vomiting, as if she were vomiting out her very soul.

Episode 190: Applause and cheers don't belong to me.

Platinum raised the back of his hand and wiped the sweat from his cheek.

His body was soaked through with rain and sweat; the final outfit clung to his skin like a second skin, and the cape behind him didn't flutter at all. Putting them together, he looked like a plucked chicken.

Especially inside the shoes, it's icy cold and slippery, it's incredibly uncomfortable.

So... you won?

Platinum looked back. All the competitors had finished the race and were standing on the track, facing the audience and cameras, saying their final goodbyes.

Leo Deban knelt on the ground with an incredulous expression, touching his cheek and looking at the display board above his head, as if he couldn't believe he could actually achieve this result.

Huh... Really? I ran this fast?

I am not Ibuki Maikaku, not the new universe, not the Emperor of the East Sea, but just an ordinary and plain me.

She patted her cheeks, ignoring her still-breathing breath, and rolled on the ground without any regard for her image, lying flat on her back on the grass—she no longer had the strength to stand up.

"Hoo hoo... Senior, Dad, Grandpa, did you see that?"

"I did it! I got the bounty!"

Despite knowing that his score wasn't the best on the field, Leo Deban couldn't help but laugh.

Indeed, choosing to become a racehorse girl was the best decision I've ever made in my life.

Ibuki Kagura, holding her knees, angrily slammed her fist heavily against the railing.

For Ibuki Maikaku, this match was an unprecedented and crushing defeat.

This time, Ibuki Mai Kagura not only lost to Platinum, but also to others. Even...Leodban.

A sense of resentment simmered within Ibuki Maikaku's proud heart. She raised her eyes and glanced at Leo Deban with a complicated expression, unsure of what kind of expression to make.

The last horse girl to finish the race was right after me. She was running sobbing the whole time, and after the race, she walked straight off the track, wiping away tears. She looked like she was going through a lot.

A dozen or so contestants presented a diverse range of reactions on the Satsuki Sho track. Some were overjoyed with their unexpected results, others were calm with their expected results, and still others were filled with resentment.

Platinum's first feeling was one of bewilderment. It was different from the Hong Kong Special and the Yayoi Prize. During the Hong Kong Special, she hadn't believed she could win until the very last moment of the competition. And with the Yayoi Prize, she realized she had overreacted.

Satsuki Shonaka came with the belief that he would win, but was completely defeated in the following matches, and only managed to win by fighting back in the end.

Platinum continued moving around the arena, her eyes glazed over. She saw the figure of the new universe.

Shin-Universe, dressed in loose, flowing clothes, stood alone by the gate. Seemingly noticing Platinum's gaze, Shin-Universe's azure pupils turned to Platinum, and their eyes met.

...How could I notice that I was watching her from such a distance?

A faint, fleeting smile appeared on New Universe's face as she looked at Platinum. She raised her arm and shook her large sleeve, moving her lips slightly to form a lip shape in front of Platinum's silent lips.

【Cornflower, congratulations.】

So Platinum waved to the new universe. As she pulled her hand back, Platinum suddenly realized that with such a great distance between herself and the new universe, how could she know her lip movements and see them?

Although Platinum has always demonstrated excellent eyesight, the only one who knew her vision was truly exceptional was Alice, who only found out after a medical examination.

There was no time for Platinum to think it over; it was like there was a network delay. The joy of winning finally overwhelmed Platinum.

We won...that's great.

I feel mostly relieved. I've already won the Satsuki Prize, one of the classic three crowns. Next up are the Japanese Derby and the Chrysanthemum Prize.